Automatic train control



C. W. WILSON, AUTOMATIC mm comm.-

, APPLICATION FILED JUNE'ZL 1916. 1,304,642 I Patented May 27, 1919.

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AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL APPLICATION F|LEDlUNE27.19X6.

1,304,642. 7 Patented May 27, 1919 2 SHEETS-SHEEN 2. Elsi,

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' UNITED STATES PATENTDFFICE cHARLEs'w. WILSON, or BEREA, OHIO,essieivon,

MENTS, or sIx FQRTY-EIGHTHS 'ro wILn n 1; vans, SIXTEEN ronry-n er rnsTo SAMUEL CHEGWYN, Am WEN Y- i FQRTHI HTHS To. MARY vens, ALL- orJanene, OHIO.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN s me.

- Application filed June 27, 19 16, S eria1No. 106, 1 1

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it knownthat I, OHARLEs WV. 'neso v', a citizen of the UnitedStates,:residing at Berea, in the county of Guyahoga and State of Ohio,have'invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic TrainCon-, trols, of which the followingis a specificatlon. z r In theoperation of railway trains many accidents are traceable to neglect onthe part of the engineer or other train operator to observe and giveheed'to danger signals, hence a necessity has arisen for automatic trainstop mechanism which acts independently of the engineer or operatortoapply the brakes in an emergency and bringthe train to'a standstill.

The present invention relates to mechanism of the character aforesaidand embod iestwo coiiperatingparts, one of such parts being mounted uponthe train and" having connection with the air-brake system to ap- 1 plythe brakes, and the other one of such partsbeingapplied'to the track andoperable by the stationagentor other attendantto throw the sameinto'position to trip the part on' the train in case of oversight of thetrain operator to observe and give heed to the danger signal. I n Y rThe'inventionconsists of novel train devices and unique track or rampappliances, both having the cooperating parts set centrally between therails of the track so as to insure their positive and proper operationin either direction of trav'el'of the train in an emergencyor underabnormal conditions. The invention further consists of thenovelifeatures and-details of construction whichhereinafter-will be moreparticularly set forth, illustrated in the drawings hereto attached, andpointed out in the subjoined'claims. p

While the drawings illustrate the :preferred embodiment of theinvention, it is to be understood thatin adapting the same tomeet'existing conditions, various changes in the-form, proportion andminor detailsof construction maybe resorted to without de parting-fromthe nature oftheinvention. il In the drawings,' 1 p F'gure 1 is a viewin elevation'of a loco motive engine and part of a track provided withsafety devices or automatic train control embodying the invention. Fig.2 is an enlarged transverse section on the'lin'e'22 of Fig. 1, loo-kingto the right, asindic'ated by the arrow. f "Fig. 3 is a detail sectionon the line 3-3 of Eig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.-

Fig. f l'is a detail view of a portionof the train pipe showing theemergency valve and operating mechanism intimately associated therewith.I

Fig-. 5 is a detail sectional view of a box or casing containing anelectric switch in the circuit for the magnet which operates thepresentdevice. H I

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGN- P en d ay .27, 119.

although it is locomotive engine or other typeof tractor orenginecomp'rise a roek shaft 2, an arm 3 at' one: end of the rock-shaft,and a lever 4:, the latter beingmounted midway of its ends, asindicated'at 5. In the present instance, the

usual saddle 6 forming oneofthe supports of the boiler likewise supportsthe mountings for the different arts. The rock-shaft 2"is mounted inbrac ets ,7 which are attached to the saddle 6. The lever 4 is supported by brackets 8 which are likewise attached to the saddle 6. Thelower endof the lever t'isforke'd and provided with'a roller 9. which isdesigned to reduce the frictional contact between the train'and trackcooperating devices to the smallest amount pos sible'. v v e The trainpipe 10 is provided in its length with'the emergency valvellwhich isdesigned to perform the function of reducing the train brakes in theusual manner; The plug or movable part 12 of the emergency valveprovided with an-arm 13-which is connected by means of a link 14 withan' arm 15 at the outer end of therock-shaft 2. Movement of pipepressure for applyingfthe the rock-shaft 2 in either direction effects acorresponding movement of the arm 15 and movable part 12 of the valve,thereby resulting in a reduction of the train pipe pressure and anapplication of the brakes. In the normal position of the parts, the arms13 and 15 and the link let are in vertical position; hence, movement ofthe rock shaft 2 in either direction results in actuation of theemergency valve in a manner to effect the other convenient parts of theroadbed. The

inner or meeting ends of the members 16 and 17 overlap and are connectedin any manner. It is essential that the fastenlng 19 connecting theoverlapping ends of the members l6 and 17 have a limited play, therebypreventing any impairment of the action of such members under theinfluence of the actuating means therefor. The members 16 and 17 arelongitudinally disposed and are centrally located between the rails 20comprising the track. The lever 1 is likewise centrally disposed. Bythis means, the auto matic train control mechanism is adapted to bepositively actuated in either direction of travel of the train withoutrequiring any shifting or adjusting ofthe operating parts.

An arm 21 disposed transversely of the track is'pivoted at one end, asindicated at 22, to a bracket 23 attached to a cross tie of the roadbed.The opposite end ofthe arm 21 is adapted to be connected with the actueating means, which,in the present instance, is shown as consisting of anelectric device 21, which, in its specific formation, consists of adouble-acting solenoid. A bell crank 25 disposed intermediate of the arm21 and operating device 24 has one member connected to the free end ofthe arm 21, and a link 26 connects the other member of the bell crank tothe core or armature of the magnet 24. When the magnet 2 1 is energized,its core or armature 27 is attracted, thereby operating the bell crank25 and elevating the swinging end of the arm 21. The arm 21 is disposedto engage the members 16 and 17 at a point about opposite end pivotconnection 19; hence, upward movement of the swinging end of the arm 21elevates the opposing ends of the members 16 and 17, with the resultthat such members assume a position to incline in opposite directions,as indicated by the dotted lines inFig. 3. In this position of themembers 16 and 17, the

lever 4 will be tripped when the train or like part passes over thetrack devices represented by the members 16 and 17. The lever 4: will beoperated no matterin which direction the train is moving. This isindicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3; Movement of the lever 1 ineither direction insures positive operation of the emergency valve,whereby the motive power is shut off and the brakes applied, therebybringing the train to a standstill in the event of the engineer or trainoperator neglecting to give proper at tention to the signal.

To insure positive operation of the arm 21 in its return to a normalposition, a weight 28 is mounted thereon; Ordinarily, the weight of thearm 21 and parts associated therewith will be sufficient to restore suchparts to normal position'when the magnet 24 is d'evitalized bya shuttingoff of the current thereto. A keeper 29 is attached to one of themembers and embraces the arm 21, thereby insuring harmony in themovement of the members 16, 17 and 21. 7

It is to be understood that the magnet 24 is adapted to be controlledfrom the usual semaphore or switch-stand, and inasmuch as the connectingmeans are unimportant and 24: is energized. When the signal is set, the

circuit,not shown,including the magnet 24:,is closed and such magnetbecoming energized attracts its core 27 and operates the bell crank 25and swings the free end of the arm 21 upward, thereby elevating theopposing ends of the pivoted-members 16 and 17. Upon the approach of atrain, motor car or like part provided with complementary safety devicesincluding thelever 4:, the latter istripped as it passes over themembers 16 and 17, and through the intermediate connections hereinbeforedescribed, aotuates the valve 11 or like part and applies the brakes,thereby bringing the trainjto a stop inthe event of oversight on thepart of the'engineer to give proper attention or heed to the signaldisplayed by the station master or other operator, tending. to warn theengineer of impending danger so as to afford opportunity to bring thetrain toa stop or under 7 housed in-a box or casing 30, having a suitable door 32to give access to-theswitch, which door is provided with asuitable lock 33 to prevent unauthorized access to and op-' eration ofthe switch. Normally,- the switch 31 is closed, so that the device isunder the control of the switch stand, semaphore or the like. Under someconditions, it may be necessary to place two or more locomotives ortrains in the same block, which can be accomplished by unlocking andopening-the door 32 and opening the switch 31, whereby the circuit isopened and the magnet 24; delinergized, thus permitting the ramp members16 and 17 to gravitate to an inoperative position, whereupon alocomotive can pass the device without having its valve 11 actuated tostop the locomotive. Uponclosing the switch 31, the circuit will beclosed, the magnet 24 energized, and the ramp members 16 and 17 liftedinto their operative position.

In the disposition of the parts, it has been found preferable to arrangethe emergency valve 11 at a higher level than the compressor or mainportion of the train pipe, thereby preventing any water of condensationcollecting in the valve and interfering with its positive and certainoperation in an emergency.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is 1. In automatictrain control, an emergency valve, a rock-shaft, vertically-disposedarms extending from the rock-shaft and movable part of the emergencyvalve, a link connection between such arms, the arms and link normallyoccupying a vertical position, and a vertically-disposed trip memberhaving a connection with the rock-shaft for actuating the latter ineither direction, said pair of crank arms, a crank arm for the emergencyvalve, a link connecting the valve crank arm and one of the crank armson the rock-shaft and a vertically disposed trip member fulcrumedintermediate of its ends and provided with a slidable and p-ivotableconnection with the other crank arm of the rock-shaft.

3. The combination with a locomotive having a saddle supporting theboiler, and the train pipe of an air brake system, of an emergency valvefor the train pipe, a rock shaft mounted upon the saddle and disposedtransversely beneath the boiler of the locomotive, crank arms upon therockshaft, a crank arm for the emergency valve, a link connecting thevalve crank arm and one of the crank arms on the rock shaft, and avertically disposed trip member fulcrumed intermediate of its ends andprovided with a slidable and pivotable connection with the ther crankarm of the rock shaft.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES W. WILSON.

Witnesses:

CHAS. F. BATIG, I-I. CHZRISTMAN.

Copies 01' this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the "commissioner of Patents.

- Washington, D. 0.

